Deposit disputes: how adjudication actually decides
When landlord and tenant cannot agree deductions, the deposit scheme's free alternative dispute resolution decides. Understanding how adjudicators think is the difference between winning and donating the deposit back.
The ground rules
- The deposit is the tenant's money: the landlord claims against it and carries the burden of proving every pound.
- Documents only: no hearing, no site visit. If it is not in writing or a photo, it does not exist.
- Both sides consent to adjudication; the alternative is court, which is slower and rarely worth it at deposit scale.
The evidence hierarchy
What wins, in order: a signed check-in inventory with embedded dated photos; a matching check-out report; invoices and quotes for each claimed amount; the tenancy agreement clauses relied on; and correspondence showing issues raised during the tenancy, not invented at the end. What loses: generic quotes without breakdown, claims for betterment, new-for-old carpet maths, and any gap where the check-in record should be.
Realistic outcomes
Adjudicators routinely award part of a claim: apportioned decoration costs, a share of cleaning. Landlords with complete evidence recover most of what they claim; landlords without a check-in inventory recover close to nothing. The scheme pays out within days of the decision, which is final in all but exceptional cases.
Prevention beats process: the inventory guide and deductions guide are where disputes are actually won.
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Start my agreement →Frequently asked questions
Who has to prove a deposit deduction?
The landlord. The deposit remains the tenant's money and every deduction must be evidenced; unproven claims are simply returned to the tenant.
How long does deposit adjudication take?
Typically a few weeks from evidence submission to decision, with payment shortly after. Timescales vary between the three schemes but all are far faster than court.